


A Week for Us

by nerdlife4eva



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, Implied Sexual Content, Keith's quintessence sensitivity, M/M, Married Sheith, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, Reunions, Romantic Fluff, Sheith New Year Event
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-02 08:35:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17261003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/pseuds/nerdlife4eva
Summary: For five years, Keith and Shiro have spent New Year's Eve together - not to celebrate the New Year but to celebrate the anniversary of their engagement. When a mission keeps Keith longer than expected, Shiro is left to wonder if his husband will make it on time.Keith wonders how his husband will take the news that they are leaving civilization behind for a week-long vacation.Neither of them know that they are about to embark on an adventure that they never saw coming.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In honor of the [Sheith New Year event](https://sheithnewyear.tumblr.com) this will be a seven chapter story, each chapter covering one of the prompts. It will be told in linear fashion and will have all seven chapters completed by the end of the event (obviously shorter than my normal chapter length due to fulfilling one every day). 
> 
> I can be found on Tumblr or Twitter if you want to talk Voltron :)  
> [NeRdLife4Eva Twitter](https://twitter.com/NeRdLife4Eva)  
> [n3rdlif343va Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/n3rdlif343va)

The bow tie in Shiro’s hands feels silky as he thumbs it, his shoulders curled inward as he glances toward the clock on his side of the bed. Part of him knows that he should be moving faster, that the car carrying him to the Garrison’s yearly New Year’s Eve party will be there any minute and he still hasn’t unearthed his dress shoes from the box that they came in. He can’t make himself move though, his eyes catching the dark bag still hanging on the back of the bedroom door. A second suit resides within that bag, one that could potentially go unused for the first time in five years, and Shiro feels the longing ache throb in his chest.

_Ridiculous_ , his mind chides, making him shake his head and sigh. Relenting to the sound of another minute clicking by, Shiro finally lifts his hands to hook the bow around his neck.

Five years ago, on this very night, Shiro had taken a leap of faith toward a man he had always loved. That love had changed over time, but even through its changes it never wavered in its unconditional nature.

What had been more surprising was that he hadn’t leapt alone. Standing on the balcony, highlighted by the light of fireworks, Shiro had dropped to one knee and his mouth had dropped open watching Keith mirror the same position. Through their laughter (and their tears which they both still deny) they had managed to accept the other’s proposal, exchanging rings as the cheers of their friends and family rose above the thundering booms of fireworks.

Every year since, despite the fact that they now had a wedding anniversary on which to celebrate, this night had been treated with reverence. Although Earth was celebrating the beginning of another trip around the sun, Shiro and Keith took the time to celebrate the gift that they had been given in life. For two people who had been robbed of so much, the universe had given them a place to be. A home within two souls which they never took for granted. They never missed the chance to be together on this night, no matter how far apart their missions and demands of work took them.

At least they _hadn’t_ missed a chance to celebrate together. Frowning at the clock as he retrieved his dress shoes, Shiro tried to remember the last message he had received from Keith. It had been grabbled due to the distance and whatever interference was being caused by the alien planet’s atmosphere. He had caught the words “promise” and “love you” which made his heart yearn to believe Keith was going to make it in time. Not that the world would end if he didn’t, but Shiro could still feel the latent sadness of separation clinging to him as the knock on the front door echoed through their house.

Hesitantly, he removed Keith’s dressing bag from the door, slipping Keith’s shoes into the bottom of it and draped it over his arm as he took the stairs slowly. Once he settled into the car, he would let Keith know that he had the suit with him. There was still plenty of time for Keith to make it before midnight and Shiro clung to this fact as he locked the front door to their house and nodded to the waiting driver.

Letting his eyes linger on the stars above him, Shiro made a silent wish for the universe to allow them to have this too. Slipping into the back of the car, Shiro settled against the leather seat and willed himself to continue to hope for Keith’s safe return.

* * *

 

In all of his years of dealing with the Garrison, their airspace had never looked as happily appealing as it did right now. Gripping his controls tighter than needed, Keith aimed his ship in a beeline straight for an unauthorized area for landing.

“Keith!” His mother’s voice rang through his coms and Keith had the good mindset to blush with the slightest hint of embarrassment. “You are not headed for any known landing strip,” Krolia scolded, making Keith bite his lip to keep from smirking.

For years they had been traveling together, alternating between missions to clear out the remaining hostile Galra and missions which helped spread help and aid to the planets that needed it most. They were a team to be equally respected and feared, and a sense of pride continued to blossom within Keith with every day he spent working alongside his mother.

This mission had gone slightly sideways, leaving them both worse for the wear, but also desperate to return to the planet where their other loved ones waited for them. For Krolia, that person had become Kolivan, a development which had taken Keith a surprisingly short amount of time to adjust to. The first time he had seen them kiss had been vastly more awkward than he had anticipated, but he had accepted his mother’s happiness with open arms.

For Keith, there was no one he wanted to see more than the man wearing his ring.

New Year’s Eve was such an arbitrary holiday, one that had unknowingly past for many years while they were careening through space attempting to defeat the Galra or at least not die while trying. Five years ago, this had changed.

The memory always filled Keith’s heart with an immense amount of emotion, squeezing every inch of it as he recalled Shiro’s tears running down his cheeks and the choked up way they had both asked the same question. A synchronization that was all their own existed most profoundly in that moment and Keith could feel his smile going goofy as he let the memory wash over him.

Ignoring his mother’s suggestions to land their ships at a proper location, Keith sent himself into a sharp turn, grin widening as the dirt kicked up from the Earth to welcome him home. Slamming every needed control to shut the ship down, Keith yanked his dirty hair into a messy ponytail and did his best to straighten his Blades uniform. He would be no match for Shiro in his perfectly tailored suit, but he knew that his husband wouldn’t care.

A bang on the ship’s door had Keith jumping and he released the hatch to discover his mother raising a disapproving eyebrow at him. “What?” he asked, shrugging sheepishly and bounding out of his ship.

“You’ve come all this way, landing nowhere near where these ships should park, and yet you are going to be late because you are primping?” Krolia’s lips twitched into a teasing smile. “Come on, kit, let’s go.”

 Side by side they ran toward the Garrison, shouting assessments of the balcony and the fastest way onto it. Sharing matching grins, they unhooked their climbing lines from their utility belts and threw the anchors with simultaneous ease as above them the party goers began to count.

At the shout of “SIX!” their feet landed on the stone of the balcony, people shifting backwards to stare at their elegant poses. Standing tall, Keith surveyed the crowd, anxiously trying to spot his favorite head of white hair in the midst of the celebration.

“FIVE!” shouted the people around him as Keith’s eyes landed on Shiro. His chin was titled toward the sky, his eyes unfocused and his concentration far away from the party happening around him. Setting his smile in a determined tilt, Keith began to run through the crowd.

“FOUR!” Despite standing in the middle of the countdown, Shiro could only hear the numbers being shouted as a distant noise. He stared at the stars wondering where Keith was right at that moment and wondering if he knew that Shiro was looking up at him. Sighing, Shiro set his champagne glass down on the balcony wall, not particularly in the mood for cheering.

“THREE!” Keith ducked another offered hug from one of the Paladins, leaving Lance behind to scoff about his rebuttal. Later he could accept the welcome home wishes from his Paladin family, but right now, there were arms he needed to be in.

“TWO!” Stepping back from the balcony, Shiro stared at the ground, arms hanging limply at his sides as he tried to suppress his disappointment. It wasn’t fair to be so hung up on missing Keith, but after five days apart, Shiro couldn’t help it. Determined to leave the celebration to those who felt it more sincerely, he took a step toward the ballroom doors.

Strong arms circled Shiro’s waist, causing the axis of his world to spin on a tilt. He found himself dipped backwards, the stars hanging over his head as the brightest star smiled down at him.

“ONE!” shouted the people around them, the cheers fading to white noise as Keith leaned closer to Shiro’s dazed smile. “Happy New Year, handsome,” Keith grinned, using the hand cradling Shiro’s head to pull him into a deep kiss.

Around them the world exploded with fireworks and the raucous cheering of everyone on the balcony. Shiro’s world was narrowed to a single point, the warmth of Keith’s lips moving against his own blacking out every other sense. Lifting his own hands, settling one in Keith’s hair and one around Keith’s waist, he let himself be kissed breathless.

Finally feeling the first hint of need cooling to a simmering point, Keith let Shiro breathe as he guided his husband into a standing position. There were tears at the corners of Shiro’s eyes which Keith wiped away with soft brushes of his thumbs.

“I didn’t think you were going to make it,” Shiro admitted, dropping his forehead to rest gently against Keith’s.

“I wouldn’t have missed kissing you at midnight.” Wrapping his arms around Shiro’s shoulders, Keith paused in his thought to kiss Shiro again. “I love you so much,” was the only thing he could think to say, even though he had practiced a far more romantic speech during his race back to Earth. (His mother could attest to this and probably would happily do so later in the form of friendly teasing). “I have a surprise for you,” he added, smiling when Shiro pulled back to look at him.

“I love your surprises… and you…” Settling his hands firmly on Keith’s hips, Shiro took in Keith’s messy hair and the faint trail of dirt covering most of his uniform. There were several places where the fabric was ripped and Shiro could see the telltale sign of healing wounds. Concern flooded his mind as he took in Keith’s paler than normal skin and the deep bags under his eyes.

“I can see you worrying,” Keith tilted his head, pressing up for another kiss. “I would tell you not to, but it wouldn’t be worth it.” Dropping his hands from Shiro’s body, Keith curled their fingers together instead. “How about we sneak out of here and I’ll let you clean me up. Then I can tell you about your surprise.”

“Deal,” Shiro grinned, yanking Keith toward him for another kiss. “And maybe you could explain the two Blades ships currently parked in the civilian parking lot.”

Bursting into a wheezing laugh, Keith shook his head and turned on his heel. “Alright, new step one, help me park them in the hanger so I don’t have to interrupt Mom.” He glanced over his shoulder and smiled softly at Krolia and Kolivan who were sharing an intimate embrace of their own.

Hand in hand, Shiro and Keith headed for the Blades ships, ready to leave the party for a private celebration of their own.


	2. Run away with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith has a surprise for Shiro :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day two of [Sheith New Year](https://sheithnewyear.tumblr.com) answering the prompt "Vacation" 
> 
> I love flirting, silly married Sheith. They are my favorite!!

The first hours of the New Year were spent quietly, Shiro fussing over Keith’s wounds and both of them sinking into the heavenly feeling of their oversized bathtub. They didn’t spend a remarkable amount of time talking, keeping their mouths busy with other activities that continued until the sun began to peek over the horizon.

Stirring under the warmth of the covers, Shiro’s eyes opened to the sound of a dull thud and Keith’s rapid fire cursing. Turning onto his side, Shiro braced himself on his hand and lifted an eyebrow at his hopping husband. “He is beauty, he is grace…” Shiro teased, laughing when Keith flicked him off.

“He will stab you in the face,” Keith finished, releasing his bruised shin and sticking his tongue out in Shiro’s direction. His husband looked relaxed and happy, making Keith want to forget about the open suitcases on the floor and crawl back into bed to feel Shiro’s laugh instead of hearing it.

“What are you doing, sweetheart?” Winking when Keith’s face flushed, Shiro felt another laugh bubble in his throat. It was amazing the effect Keith’s presence had on him, causing him to feel lighter and giddier simply because Keith was home. Everyone had noticed the return of Captain Grumpus by the fifth day of Keith’s absence and Shiro paused briefly to ponder out loud what kind of magic Keith carried within in him.

“The magic of love,” Keith answered, making a goofy face to make Shiro laugh again. The sound of Shiro’s laughter was addictive and once again Keith found himself wanting to abandon the task at hand. Telling himself they would have plenty of time for teasing once they escaped Earth, Keith returned to their dressers to pull out the necessary items.

Rolling onto his pillow, Shiro tucked his arms behind his head and watched Keith move, admiring the view of Keith’s ass in nothing but red briefs. “You didn’t answer my question…” Shiro commented, one eyebrow raised.

“Packing,” Keith answered, tossing their bathing suits into the open duffel bag and then lobbing in a couple of t-shirts over his shoulder. He heard Shiro make an inquisitive noise behind him. “I told you I had a surprise for you… but _someone_ got too handsy last night and distracted me.”

Lips twitching into a smile, Shiro flipped their comforter from his legs and bounded across the room to lift a startled Keith into his arms. Dropping Keith onto the bed, Shiro flopped down on top of him, laughing as Keith squirmed. “I’ll show you handsy.” Twisting, Shiro laid his mouth against Keith’s side and blew a raspberry that made Keith flail underneath him. He felt the unmistakable threat of Keith’s shifting hips and let himself be flipped on the bed, legs dangling off the side and hands secured above his head by Keith’s unforgiving grip.

“Would you behave?” Keith scolded, leaning down to nip at Shiro’s lips. “How am I supposed to pack our things for your surprise vacation if you can’t keep your meddling hands to yourself?” Contradicting his own criticism, Keith ran his tongue around Shiro’s nipple, the breath of his chuckle dancing over Shiro’s skin when Shiro muttered “hypocrite.” Pressing a kiss to Shiro’s chest just above his heart, Keith slipped out of the bed, stumbling backwards when Shiro went to grab for him.

“Smooth.” Shiro poked out at Keith’s thigh when he tried to steady himself, shaking his head when Keith flicked him off again. _God_ , his chest felt so full simply because Keith was right there and shooting him playful glares from across the room. Flopping happily back on the bed, Shiro watched Keith open and shut a few more drawers before he decided to press for more information. “So where are you taking me?”

Cocking his hip, Keith rested a hand there and tapped his finger on his chin. “I think… you will just have to be surprised when we get there. We leave in an hour… I’ll pack, you go make coffee and lunch.” Tipping his head toward their alarm clock, Keith quirked his eyebrow higher watching the time click to further into the afternoon.

Pulling himself from the bed, Shiro slinked back into Keith’s space, pecking a kiss to the stubborn line of Keith’s mouth. “Coffee and lunch it is.” Sliding his hand down, Shiro grabbed Keith’s ass simply because he could. “Wherever we are going, I hope clothing is optional.” Taking advantage of Keith’s distracted state, Shiro tucked his head into Keith’s neck and hit him with another loud raspberry.

“Get out,” Keith laughed, shoving Shiro away from him. “And don’t skimp on the beans, I want to feel the caffeine making my bloodstream vibrate.”

“I’ll show you vibrate,” Shiro waved his Altean hand in Keith’s direction and ducked when a pair of socks flew toward his head. Finding himself laughing again, Shiro fled from the bedroom in pursuit of sustenance.

He had no idea what Keith had up his sleeve, but Shiro was definitely excited to find out.

* * *

 

Keith had packed Black in a record amount of time, tossing in and securing all of the food Hunk had prepared for him ahead of his return and strapping in the stuffed duffel bags with practiced skill. If he had any say in it, they wouldn’t need most of the clothes he had packed, but Keith figured he could at least keep up the pretense that they would be clothed.

Smiling as he remembered Allura’s disapproval of using the lion for recreational purposes and the surprising defense Lance had supplied of needing Keith near his lion in case they made an emergency call, Keith jogged down the ramp and spied Shiro standing casually in the frame of their front door. Trying not to trip over his own feet at the sight of Shiro’s beautiful smile, Keith took the steps onto the porch two at a time.

“I sent Kosmo to your mom like you asked.” Reaching for Keith, Shiro drew him in and circled his arms around Keith’s waist. “He was not happy with me. I promised him steak when we get back… which is…”

Shaking his head, Keith pretended to zip his lips shut. Shiro had been trying to pry details out of him since the moment he woke up, but once they had made it through the night together without Keith revealing his secret, he had decided it was best to show instead of tell. Wiggling out of Shiro’s arms, Keith pulled their front door shut. “Ready?” He offered his hand to Shiro and smiled when Shiro draped his arm around Keith’s shoulder instead.

“Take me anywhere, baby,” Shiro whispered, kissing Keith’s temple and letting himself be lead toward Black.

* * *

 

During his race back to Earth with his mom the distance between Earth and the beautiful planet coming into view beneath them had felt almost intolerable. On their return journey, Keith barely noticed the time passing, every minute of the journey being filled with Shiro’s terrible space puns and their constant need to flirt and banter their way through the stars. No matter the distance or time, any length was enjoyable as long as Shiro was by his side.

Standing next to Keith’s pilot’s chair, Shiro looked down at the lush green of the planet’s forests and marveled at the clear water lapping against the sand of the beach where Keith was aiming Black. It looked like a postcard of the west coast on Earth, except the beach looked deserted and untouched by human pollution. “Wow,” Shiro breathed, flinching only slightly as Black kicked up sand under its feet as they landed.

Keith felt his heart skip in his chest when he watched the awe settle over Shiro’s face. He had wanted to whisk Shiro away for a vacation as a belated Christmas present and had bribed Iverson to release Shiro from duty for an entire week. The location had been undetermined until his adventure with his mom and the bizarre turn of events that had occurred this beautiful planet. Looking at the way Shiro’s smile turned excited and his eyes sparkled with anticipation, Keith decided all of the work had been worth it.

“There’s more,” Keith said, standing up and tugging Shiro’s hand. “Grab the duffel bags, I’ll get the crates and the cooler.” Making sure Shiro was following him, Keith lifted his haul and exited Black. Bewildered, Shiro grabbed the bags from their holding place and followed Keith onto the sand.

A little cottage stood at the edge of the trees. It wasn’t much bigger than the shack that still stood next to their house in the desert and Shiro followed Keith over the sand until they reached the ramp that lead inside.

“When my mom and I landed here, we thought that we would be able to distribute supplies and offer help in rebuilding whatever the Galra had destroyed.” Setting his armful down in the portion of the open room that functioned as a kitchen, Keith took a deep breath. There was part of him that was hesitant to tell Shiro the truth about his work here, but he never kept secrets from Shiro and didn’t want to start now.

Gently removing the bags from Shiro’s hands, Keith dropped them next to large bed in the back corner of the room and sat down. There wasn’t much space to the small cottage and Keith was glad when Shiro took a seat next to him instead of opting for the couch-like shape that extended from one wall. “The second day we were here, a tunnel underground collapsed, trapping workers underneath the surface of the planet. They didn’t have any resources and the time to rescue them alive was very small.”

Not liking where any of this was going, Shiro took Keith’s hands into his own and pressed them onto his thigh. Even though Keith was alive and sitting next to him, Shiro needed the physical touch to remind him that Keith was safe. Nodding, Shiro encouraged Keith to continue.

“You will probably see them at some point, but their species isn’t exactly cut out for rescue missions.” Thinking about how to describe it, Keith furrowed his brow. “They are basically like four-armed teddy bears. Very good hugs, very little combat experience.” Relaxing when Shiro chuckled, Keith determinedly went on with the rest of his story. “My mom and I knew that we had to help, so over the course of two days, we rescued each of the workers and then stayed to help rebuild and fortify the tunnel. We knew that we couldn’t remain here permanently, but we also couldn’t leave knowing that there was a danger of it happening again. We reinforced their entire tunnel system, with the help of some other Blades that happened to be passing by this planet.”

“This place,” Keith waved a hand around the open room they were sitting in, “well, it was their thank you present. They overhead me talking to mom about where to take you on your forced vacation and right before we left, they dragged me here and showed this to me. It might not be much, and it might collapse unless we are really lucky, but I thought… I wanted to share it with you.” Squeaking when Shiro tackled him back on the bed, Keith peered up at his husband’s sappy smile. “I take it that you like it?”

“Keith, this is wonderful.” Trailing kisses over Keith’s cheek, Shiro curled his arms more tightly around Keith’s waist. “I don’t like that you were probably in more danger than you are letting on, but bringing me here, to a new place to explore and sharing this with me? Of course I like it. I love it.” Brushing the tip of his nose down Keith’s neck, Shiro smiled when Keith shivered underneath him. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Keith tilted his head to encourage a proper kiss, letting himself melt into the fabric of the alien sheets. Perhaps he would keep the more terrifying details of his rescue mission to himself, at least until their vacation was over. Wrapping his arms around Shiro’s shoulders, Keith happily lost himself to the moment, ready to spend the next week surrounded by nothing but sand, water, and Shiro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole thing is unbeta'ed - I'm sorry for mistakes!


	3. And then there were 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kolivan shows up with two passengers and leaves alone. 
> 
> Shiro and Keith's week suddenly gets a lot more complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3: Family for [Sheith New Year](https://sheithnewyear.tumblr.com)
> 
> Me: It's Sheith New Year! Keep it fluffy, and light, and domestic! 
> 
> Also Me: BUT WHAT FUN IS THAT?!   
> (a little behind now on prompts, but catching up after some plot shifting!)
> 
> Come hang with me on Tumblr or Twitter!   
> [NeRdLife4Eva Twitter](https://twitter.com/NeRdLife4Eva)  
> [n3rdlif343va Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/n3rdlif343va)

In all of their years together, vacations had been short and far between. After their engagement, they had snuck away to the desert shack to hide from the world while celebrating, but missions requiring attention brought them back with twenty-four hours. Following their wedding, they had stolen a few days away from Earth, but had been called back for an emergency search and rescue mission near the galaxy where they were traveling. Keith distinctly remembered Allura’s expression when Shiro had muttered dejectedly about having to wear pants and used that knowledge to prevent anyone from interrupting them on their last vacation.

This time, Keith had warned, threatened, and bribed everyone in their world to leave them alone for the entire week. There were concerns about this decision (some of them voiced loudly and repeatedly) but Keith hadn’t backed down. In all of the years since they had saved the universe, they hadn’t taken the time to be selfish, and one week certainly wasn’t going to be the death of anyone (he hoped).

Standing in front of the alien stove, Keith pushed around the egg hash Hunk had expertly sealed in order for Keith to reheat. Under Hunk’s advice, Keith had photographed the stove and other alien kitchen appliances before heading back to Earth the first time and in turn, Hunk had tailored all of their meals and preparation instructions to the resources they had available. Hunk’s thoughtfulness was greatly appreciated, especially over the first day when neither Keith nor Shiro deemed it necessary to leave the cottage or wear clothing of any sort.

Despite proposing the idea multiple times throughout the afternoon, it had taken Keith until the first signs of dusk to convince Shiro to go for a swim. Wearing nothing but smiles and the warmth of the other’s hands on their skin, they had run for the water, diving simultaneously into the crystal clear stillness and resurfacing only to crash back together. They had floated more than they had swam, tangled with each other and stealing kisses under the lit of the planet’s four moons. Smiling to himself, Keith remember the way Shiro’s back had looked with droplets of water running down his skin, shining in the moonlight as he made his way across the sand.

From his place in the bed, Shiro watched Keith cook, contemplating his husband’s bravery of using the stove while undressed. He couldn’t say he disliked Keith’s brazen disregard for kitchen safety, especially as the soft smile parted Keith’s lips and the heavenly smell of breakfast wafted through the room.

Lazy was not a word Shiro would’ve ever used to describe himself, but that is exactly how he felt. Within ten minutes of landing, they had found themselves devoid of their clothes and hadn’t bothered to remedy that situation in the slightest. They had eaten dinner in bed with the pan between them, feeding each other bites and playing footsie while doing so. After dinner, Keith had lured Shiro outside to swim and then spread Shiro over the bed to massage out all of his toughest knots. They had fallen asleep near dawn again and Shiro briefly wondered how badly he was going to screw up his sleep schedule by the end of the trip. Watching Keith pad back across the room with two plates, Shiro decided that it didn’t matter.

“Smells so good.” He tipped his chin up to look at the plates in Keith’s hands and pouted when Keith lifted them higher. With a hand around Keith’s waist, Shiro pulled him the last two steps and trailed kisses over Keith’s bare stomach.

Slipping from Shiro’s grasp, Keith kneeled on the edge of the bed and carefully maneuvered his way next to his husband. Taking a deep breath, he rolled his eyes to the ceiling when Shiro’s fingers lightly gripped high on his thigh. “You’re playing dangerous games with your own breakfast.” Laughing when Shiro’s pout returned, Keith bent forward to kiss his nose and set the plate of breakfast on Shiro’s bare thighs. Purposely, Keith let his knuckles graze the noticeably growing interest between Shiro’s legs.

“Excuse you, I am trying to eat my breakfast.” Shoving a large forkful in his mouth, Shiro dramatically chewed his bite. Almost losing his pretend indignation when Keith snorted, Shiro covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smile.

Settling side by side, they ate their breakfast in companionable silence, sneaking smiles at each other and poking at each other’s feet. At the third wink Shiro threw in Keith’s direction, Keith finally broke. “What?!” he demanded, dropping his fork on his plate and twisting to face Shiro.

“You’re cute,” Shiro responded, letting his own fork find a resting place on his empty plate. “And you have egg in your eyebrow. How did that even happen?” He laughed when Keith’s eyes crossed in an attempt to see the smear of egg. Catching the back of Keith’s neck, Shiro pulled him forward and licked his eyebrow.

“Oh God… that’s so gross!” Throwing his head out of Shiro’s grasp, Keith rubbed the heel of his hand on his forehead. “There is a line of spit…” Grimacing, Keith narrowed his eyes as Shiro continued to laugh at his own actions.

Shiro snickered at Keith’s glare. “You didn’t mind it last night when I was licking your-“

The unmistakable sound of an approaching ship had them both sitting up in bed, their flirting and teasing forgotten as they both listened and assessed. Waving a hand toward Keith’s plate, Shiro stacked it with his own and slid from the bed to move in the direction of the kitchen. A grunt from behind him had Shiro turning around, catching the pair of shorts sailing at him with his free hand. Carefully he deposited the plates on the counter and stepped into his shorts, head tilted to continue to track the growing noise outside.

Feeling rage building inside of him, Keith unearthed his blade and his bayard. Whoever had decided that interrupting their vacation was a good idea was looking to be stabbed and skinned before they made it two steps onto the sand. Passing his blade to Shiro, Keith held his bayard to his side and nodded to the front of the house.

Together they crouched at the open window, eyes trained on the black dot that was quickly growing in size. The purple markings were recognizable almost immediately and Keith groaned as he tossed his bayard aside. Standing, he pulled Shiro up next to him, relieving him of the blade and letting the signs of his annoyance settle over his face.

Letting Keith drag him through the front door, Shiro resisted momentarily when he realized both of them were half-naked. Then the ship came into view and the large figure dropping onto the sand had Shiro’s shoulders sagging. “Is that…?”

Growling, Keith didn’t let go of Shiro’s hand, stalking towards Kolivan with a look that could surely set the woods on fire if given a single spark. He opened his mouth to begin his verbal assault when the sight of Kosmo bounding out of the ship made him stop short. Ducking to the side, Keith couldn’t help his small bark of laughter when Kosmo landed on Shiro’s chest instead of his own, sending them both sprawling into the sand. Trying to stamp down the flutter of happiness inside of him seeing his ridiculous family wrestling together, Keith raised his chin and set his shoulders straight. “What are you…”

The question died on his tongue as Kolivan slowly lowered his arms, revealing a glowing, squiggly blanket. There was a fresh wound across Kolivan’s forehead and part of his uniform hung in a loose flap at his side. Shooting an examining scowl at Kolivan’s ship, Keith noted the number of gashes in the otherwise pristine armor. A small whimper escaped the folds of cloth in Kolivan’s arms and Kosmo popped into existence at Kolivan’s side, whimpering in response and nosing at the blanket. Wide wolf eyes snapped in Keith’s direction and he felt the wolf’s concerns wrap themselves around his heart.

 As if his hand was being drawn by an invisible force, Keith reached for the blanket. There was no resistance when Keith took the bundle, settling it into the crook of his elbow and slowly peeling the folded layers away. In his chest, his heart began to thrum wildly, a force he hadn’t felt since he had first forged his bond with the red lion.

“Your mother was right.” Kolivan laid a hand on Kosmo’s head, holding the wolf back from crowding into Keith’s space. “She said that you would understand why I had to come.”

“Keith?” Shiro questioned, stepping forward for the first time since Keith had accepted the bundle from Kolivan. Resting a hand at the small of his husband’s back, Shiro barely restrained the gasp that threatened to escape him.

In Keith’s arms was a baby, smaller than any child Shiro had ever seen. She was beautiful in a way that Shiro could only ever remember Keith being and despite her tiny stature, the aura around her glowed in the same way Allura’s did. Her flushed cheeks were pink under dark lashes and curls of black and silver hair framed her face. The whimpers she had been making while in Kolivan’s arms had vanished, and she gave a contented sigh before burrowing closer to Keith’s bicep and promptly falling asleep.

Unexplainable tears prickled the edge of Keith’s eyes, his grip on the child become protective and possessive. He didn’t even know her name, or what her eyes looked like or where she came from, but his heart was already accepting her into it. His chest heaved with the effort it took to breathe through the emotions swelling painfully against it and it took all of his strength to lift his gaze to Kolivan’s solemn face. “I- I… I don’t… understand…” Keith stuttered, the words feeling heavy on his tongue and his mind focusing on nothing beyond a growing list of questions. In his arms, the baby sighed again, spurring the first tear to roll down Keith’s cheek.

“I was traveling to a planet not far from here, where the Blades were who helped you with the reconstructive efforts here. There is still some fighting, a source of quintessence was found at the center of the planet and some still disillusioned Galra wanted it for their own.” Kolivan looked down at his uniform and carefully tucked the ripped section into his belt. “There are still those who believe that beings are the best way to harvest quintessence and when we were finally able to secure the source, we discovered this child. Your mother and I snuck her away, but unfortunately, there is still much work to be done and I cannot take the time to transport her any further. Krolia said she sends her apologizes, but I’ve been told you would understand.”

Shiro willed his fingers not to curl against Keith’s back as he listened to Kolivan’s explanation with a discerning ear. There had been no indication whether the child was exposed to the quintessence by the inhabitants of the planet or the invading Galra and Shiro had a suspicion that this detail was being purposely omitted. He trusted Kolivan, however, there were still times when the man’s vague way of presenting information made Shiro’s instincts flare and the desire to push for more details burn deep within him. Catching himself before he spoke out of line, Shiro paused to watch Keith and the child in his arms.

Keith’s softness was not a trait he showed others, reserving the right to that emotion for only those closest to him as the members of his family. Standing on the beach, in the heat of the sun, Keith’s face looked softer than Shiro had ever seen it. Tears were continuing to make tracks down Keith’s cheeks, his emotions completely unrestrained as his focus remained on the sleeping baby. Shiro didn’t trust all of the information missing from Kolivan’s story, but he could trust the emotions glimmering all around his husband.

“You want us to care for her. Until when?” Shiro jumped slightly at the growl that came from his side, eyes flicking between Keith and Kosmo trying to determine who it came from.

“That’s up to you.” Turning on his heel, Kolivan moved toward his ship. “I have to return. Krolia will be in contact.” Before either one of them could argue, Kolivan was closing himself into his ship, waving a hand to encourage them to back away.

“Sweetheart,” Shiro whispered, circling his arm further around Keith to hold fast against his hip. “Let’s get her inside.” When he received a confirming hum, Shiro guided Keith in a small circle to move in the direction of the house. Kosmo never left Keith’s side, nose bumping against Keith’s elbow as they walked.

The rumble of Kolivan’s departing ship existed outside of Keith’s bubble of concentration, his mind, body and heart all focused on the tiny glowing face nestled peacefully against him. “I don’t know how to care for a baby,” he heard himself say out loud, footsteps sounding too brash on the plank leading into the cottage.

“Me either,” Shiro admitted, feeling the panic rising to thrust against the awe he felt watching Keith cradle the little one. For some reason Krolia thought they would be able to handle this responsibility and for a moment Shiro wondered if his mother-in-law knew either of them at all. Shoving the thought aside, Shiro followed Keith back to the bed and quickly rearranged the pillows so Keith could lean against them for support. Bending down to kiss Keith on the forehead, Shiro felt a surge through his chest, like love and power washing through him in an intense wave.

Startled, Keith’s head snapped up, his chest heaving with the force of whatever magic had swelled within him. Almost laughing at himself for thinking _magic_ was the appropriate word, Keith lost himself in the furrow of Shiro’s brow and the concern which shone in Shiro’s eyes. He wanted to ask if Shiro was upset, he wanted to apologize for another ruined vacation, and he wanted to beg Shiro to love him even though life seemed to never let them rest. Instead, Keith lifted his chin when Shiro ducked to kiss him, both of them gasping as the feelings between them sparked with unexpected power.

“I don’t know what’s happening.” Shiro rested his forehead against Keith’s and took a moment to breathe. “I think… I’ll call Allura. And Coran. Maybe they’ll know. I’ll use Black so the baby can sleep. Will you be ok for a bit?”

Worry was unconcealed on Shiro’s face when he pulled back to look at Keith. Nodding quietly, Keith let his head fall back against the wall. “We’ll be ok. Kosmo can get you if we need you.” Biting his lower lip, Keith studied Shiro’s face, discovering nothing but love and devotion plainly written there. “I love you,” Keith said, replacing all the apologies that should have been spoken.

“I love you so much, Keith.” Pressing his lips to Keith’s forehead, Shiro felt the same overwhelming thrill rip through his body. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can. And if I need you, I’ll call for Kosmo to bring you. I love you.” Brushing a thumb over the tears dried on Keith’s face, Shiro glanced down once more at the sleeping baby and felt his heartstrings tug tightly. He had absolutely no idea what was going on or how they were supposed to handle it, but Shiro knew that as long as Keith was with him, they would figure it out.

With a final wave over his shoulder, Shiro headed out of the cottage and toward Black, praying someone would be able to give him some answers.


	4. Kosmo the Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura and Coran have excited theories. 
> 
> Shiro has heart eyes for Keith cuddling the baby. 
> 
> Kosmo seems to be the only one with a level head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little behind on posting these chapters, but I am going to be putting them up throughout the weekend until the story is finished! There are SO MANY awesome works for the [Sheith New Year](https://sheithnewyear.tumblr.com) event. Please check them out and give the creators (and mods!) some love <3 
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr or Twitter:   
> [NeRdLife4Eva Twitter](https://twitter.com/NeRdLife4Eva)  
> [n3rdlif343va Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/n3rdlif343va)

Stepping out of Black, Shiro felt dizzy from the amount of information Coran and Allura had attempted to throw at him. Clutched in his human hand, he cradled the data pad where all of their excitedly typed theories and links to historical documents regarding situations like theirs continued to download even as Shiro refused to look at them. Each ding made Shiro’s eye twitch increase in severity.  

“It’s like a story I used to listen to when I was little,” Allura had said, her voice soft with the memory. Shiro had been lost halfway through their conversation, the terms quintessence sensitivity and soul bonds banging heavily inside of his brain as he tried to sort out the meanings behind them. He had studied star charts and ship schematics that were less complicated than the tangled mesh of fairy tales and historical facts that had been heaped upon him by his favorite Alteans.

Trudging over the sand, Shiro tried not to groan as the data pad continued to ping with incoming messages. Coran had seemed more intrigued than Allura, whose excitement was apparent with every word she spoke. Apparently both of them had contemplated the potential of this unique trait in both him and Keith, but had never bothered to speculate out loud. Now that they had an opening to do so, it was possible that they would never stop.

Feeling overwhelmed, Shiro dragged his feet up the plank to the front door of the cottage, raising his head at the entryway. Freezing in his tracks, Shiro felt his chest tighten as he took in the cuddle pile in front of him.

On the bed, Keith laid curled around the baby, one arm tucked underneath her and his other cupping the side of her face. They were both asleep, the sounds of the peacefully rhythmic breathing were filling the space inside of the cottage.

Completing the protective circle around the baby was Kosmo, who looked up to greet Shiro as he finally entered the room. The space wolf cocked his head, watching Shiro’s movements carefully, his tail twitching with every one of Shiro’s steps. “Hey boy…” Shiro gently laid the data pad on the table beside the couch and took a tentative step toward the wolf.

The two of them had bonded in the years since Shiro had finally gotten his head out of his ass and realized how much he loved Keith. Prior to that, his relationship with Kosmo had been complicated, rotating between Kosmo teleporting Shiro to Keith’s side and Kosmo teleporting Shiro to the other side of any planet they found themselves on. He had received a warm welcome when Kosmo had first crashed their vacation, but the presence of the baby had caused Kosmo to appear more cautious about Shiro’s existence.

“You know, I want her to be here,” Shiro whispered, smiling fondly at the way Keith and the child nuzzled closer together in their sleep. “I think Keith does too. Look at them, Kosmo, have you ever seen a sight more precious than them?” While talking, Shiro let his hand rest on the top of Kosmo’s head, his fingers scraping between the wolf’s thick furs.

It wasn’t a lie. Shiro’s heart was nothing but a puddle of liquefied love sloshing in his chest as he admired Keith’s face highlighted by the glow of the baby’s skin. Briefly, he thought they should give her a name and then wondered if Keith would insist on waiting until she could tell them. The thought made him snicker, and Shiro clapped a hand over his mouth to dampen the sound of it.

Stirring from his accidental nap, Keith opened one bleary eye to see Shiro stifling a laugh from his place by the bed. Knowing better than to ask Shiro exactly what dorky thing he was amused by, Keith lifted his chin and puckered his lips in a silent request for a kiss. He smiled as Shiro happily indulged him, letting his head fall back against the pillow and eyes return to staring at the infant in his arms.

“She’s beautiful,” Shiro commented, kneeling by the bed and leaning around Kosmo to run a gentle finger over the baby’s cheek. “She reminds me of Allura.”

“Hmm,” Keith agreed, mesmerized by the size of Shiro’s hand compared to the tiny cheek he was caressing. “But she has a mixture of our hair.” Curling a lock of hair around his finger, Keith felt the place where it wrapped around his knuckle begin to tingle. In her sleep, the baby smiled.

“She needs a name, Keith,” Shiro remarked. The comment was an absentminded afterthought. The conscious part of Shiro’s brain was more focused on the softness of the skin under his fingertip and the fairy-like appearance of the child than the words he was speaking aloud.

Peering at Shiro, Keith prepared for his husband’s reaction. “Kosmo already knew it.” Predictably, Shiro narrowed his eyes in Keith’s direction. “Her name is Hikari.” Seeing Shiro’s eyes go wide, Keith pursed his lips to give Shiro a moment to process the information.

“Light…” Shiro’s brows furrowed, studying the baby’s face. “In Japanese, her name would mean shining light. And she glows…” His concerns from the beach flared inside of his mind. Someone had named this child almost too appropriately, and with a name that would easily be identified by Shiro specifically. It was odd and out of place considering how far they were from Earth and the mixture of information presented by Allura and Coran blared loudly in Shiro’s mind.

Kolivan hadn’t told them who had put the child in danger by exposing her to a raw source of quintessence and his stomach felt sour as he strongly considered the possibility that the Galra were not the only foul players on the planet where Krolia and Kolivan currently found themselves. There was a chance that the inhabitants of that planet were experimenting with bringing ancient tales to life and Shiro felt his chest tighten at the possibility that there may have been other children who had not been as lucky as Hikari to survive such experimentation. Sneaking a glance at the worry knitting itself between Keith’s own brows, Shiro knew there was no reason to speak his growing concerns out loud.

A low whine vibrated the bed between them and they both startled as Kosmo crept further up the bed, laying his head over the baby’s belly. Since the moment Kolivan had handed her to Keith, Kosmo had been unwilling to leave the child’s side and Shiro tilted his head to watch the wolf carefully nuzzle against Hikari’s belly.

“He’s the one that found her.” Scratching behind Kosmo’s ears, Keith smiled fondly at his wolf. “Mom and Kolivan were fighting when Kosmo felt her life force call out to him. That’s how they discovered the quintessence.” Frowning, Keith shook his head when Kosmo buffed at him. “Sorry… they knew the quintessence was there… they didn’t know that Hikari was submerged in it.” His next breath shuddered, his eyes fluttering closed at the information being given to him by the wolf. Kosmo was more open with details than Kolivan was, even though Keith was becoming overwhelmed with all the images Kosmo was forcing to flash through his mind.

“She was… in a pod… of some sort… floating…” Keith closed his eyes tighter, mentally encouraging Kosmo to slow down so he could piece through the information. He was distracted by the increasingly warm sensation burning into his shoulder and the heat radiating across the side of his face. “They were… trying to infuse her… her mother is dead… her father didn’t want her…” The growl that followed originated from deep within Keith’s chest. “He gave her up… allowed them to expose her… to see what would happen.”

A final image had Keith stiffening. It hung frozen at the front of his mind making his stomach turn. As if to comfort him, Kosmo nudged his cheek with his nose, eyes steady on Keith’s face when Keith finally dared to open his own. “Me?” he asked, studying Kosmo carefully almost wishing that he could erase the last memory and feeling Kosmo’s apology nestled into his mind. “And…” his eyes flicked toward Shiro, the memory of the clones still clinging to the edges of his vision.

Kosmo whined again, a low gravely noise that made Keith’s chest ache. Leaning forward, he rested his forehead against Kosmo’s bowed head. “It’s ok, boy, thank you for telling me.” Grimacing, Keith looked at Shiro. “There was something about me… and you… something that they were trying to replicate… but I didn’t… I wasn’t ever in a quintessence field… not as a baby anyway...” His head hurt from trying to flip through the memories Kosmo had provided him.

“Quintessence sensitivity,” Shiro whispered. Pushing up from the bed, he ignored the questioning sound Keith made and went in search of the abandoned data pad. Lifting it from the table, he noted that Allura and Coran were no longer the only ones sending him messages. A string of comments and downloadable documents were also listed from Pidge’s com. Sighing, Shiro made his way back to the bed and crawled on his knees to settle at Keith’s side.

“Allura and Coran… have… theories…” Hesitantly, Shiro flipped through the list of documents trying to decide where to start. A hum from Keith made him pause.

Closing his eyes, Keith felt Kosmo shift to lay on his stomach. Their connection wasn’t dependent on physical touch, but Keith had long ago learned that Kosmo had more dog-like needs than anyone had expected. His wolf still wouldn’t fetch a stick to save his life, but Kosmo needed ear scratches and belly rubs as much as any average Earth dog. The need became especially strong when Kosmo sensed that Keith was out of sorts. “It’s all just a legend…” Keith murmured, hearing the words as he said them and frowning. Kosmo continued to encourage him with a gentle mental push.

Concentrating on his screen, Shiro found what looked to be more of a storybook than any sort of scientific analysis. Tapping it open, his eyebrows raised into his hairline. “This… um… well…” He scanned the pages, his brain clicking uselessly as he read the story.

“She’s awake,” Keith interrupted. The look on Shiro’s face made his stomach curl into painful knots, but Keith was too distracted by the wide purple eyes staring up at him to assess his own feelings any further. “Hi, Hikari,” he whispered, gently sitting up and moving her into his lap. Cradling her head with both of his hands, Keith waited for her reaction.

Kosmo turned himself around on the bed and dipped his head low to nose at Hikari’s cheek. She smiled, a crooked tilt to one side of her mouth and made cooing noises, tiny hands reaching out to grasp Kosmo’s fur. Smiling, Keith glanced over his shoulder when Shiro leaned over his back.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Shiro said, offering his finger for the baby to grab. She did so happily, immediately sticking it in her mouth and covering it in drool. Despite waking up in the arms of a stranger, Hikari seemed content to smile and babble up at the men staring adoringly down at her.

“I guess the next step is going to visit the village, see if they have any… baby supplies…” Shiro tried to imagine what that would mean, his eyes trailing to Kosmo who was already hopping off the bed as if he was ready to lead the way. A flash of light caught Shiro off-guard and he laughed when the wolf reappeared almost as quickly. He reached out a hand to rub Kosmo’s head as the wolf deposited a length of cloth over Keith’s knee.

Smiling Keith turned to place Hikari in Shiro’s arms, feeling an immediate dimming of the buzzing warmth in his chest. Dully, he knew that they would have to figure out what the sensation was, knowing that the powerful connection he felt to the child and the surge of power he felt when all three of them were connected couldn’t be normal. His heart wasn’t ready to delve into that subject yet so instead he followed Kosmo’s suggestion of looping the fabric (Keith noted it was probably a torn strip from the spare sheets on Black) over his shoulder with a tight knot. Reaching toward Shiro to take Hikari back, he laughed when Shiro pouted and held her closer.

“My turn,” Shiro mumbled, swinging his legs off the bed and swaying Hikari gently in his arms as he searched for his shoes. He laughed when she started to blow spit bubbles, her cheeks glowing brighter as she giggled at her own trick. Bending his head, Shiro placed a kiss on Hikari’s forehead, gasping when he felt a shock prickle his lips. Eventually, he was going to read every piece of information gathered on his data pad and hopefully solve the mystery of the glowing baby. For now, he was content to hold the happy child in his arms, trudging toward the door and turning back to smile at Keith.

Keith’s chest felt tight in a completely different way watching Shiro smile and laugh at Hikari. She looked so tiny in Shiro’s arms and Keith felt his insides going all mushy as he tried to focus long enough to locate a shirt and shoes of his own. When Kosmo bumped his side, wolf eyebrows raised with a knowing look, Keith could only blush. Well aware that Kosmo could already see his thoughts about Shiro and Hikari in the future, Keith indulged himself in allowing them to flow more freely. Kosmo’s excitedly supportive bark made Keith grin and he hugged the wolf around the neck as a thank you.

Ready for another unexpected adventure, Keith led the way out of the cottage and into the forest, toward the village where he hoped they would find exactly what they needed.


	5. Good Papa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro and Keith take a walk into the village with Kosmo and baby Hikari.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still posting until this is finished! 
> 
> No beta because this is how I live my life now

The hike through the forest to the heart of the village should have taken less than an hour from their cottage. Instead, they had taken their time, pausing to let Hikari bat at low hanging branches and watch with amused smiles as Kosmo bounded between the trees. The wolf had neglected to use his teleportation powers, choosing to run full speed at each twisted trunk and launch himself off of it in a spinning jump. From her place in Shiro’s arms, Hikari clapped her chubby hands, gurgling her own version of encouragement of the wolf’s antics.

Keith would never admit how many roots and rocks he had stumbled over, unable to keep his attention on anything other than the adorable vision of Shiro carrying Hikari over the path. He talked to her, identifying colors and plants, and even lifted her to give her the opportunity to touch every leaf that caught her interest. Shiro’s smile was making Keith feel weak, and his feet had become unexplainably clumsy as his heart did somersaults in his chest.

Another idea had begun to form in his mind (around the time that Shiro had refused Keith’s fifth offer to put Hikari in his makeshift baby sling) that Keith also wasn’t going to admit to. Mental images of a baby crib in their spare bedroom, a nursery decorated with constellations and toys scattered throughout their house had started to cement themselves in Keith’s mind. He thought about late nights waking up to a crying baby, and evenings curled up in front of their fireplace to cuddle as a family. They were dangerous thoughts considering they possessed no information with regard to the child’s fate, but Keith couldn’t help the rapidly growing pile of future hopes stacking in his mind.

The lingering wisps of memories from the space whale certainly didn’t help detract from his daydreams either.

If Shiro noticed Keith’s distraction, he didn’t mention it which was a gift that Keith was thankful for. There was no telling how Shiro would react to Keith’s spiraling daydreams about first steps and first birthday parties. They had never explicitly talked about children, although both of them had spent time volunteering with the orphans of war back on Earth. Neither of them had openly voiced their opinions about the future of their own offspring, leaving Keith to wonder if Shiro would be opposed to all of the places Keith’s imagination was taking him.

Sometime between leaving the cottage behind them and breaking through the edge of the forest, Keith began to wonder if Shiro wanted a family even more than he did.

Stepping in front of Shiro in an act of instinctual protectiveness, Keith led the way into the bustling village, his hand resting on Kosmo’s neck to keep his eager space wolf from dodging off into the crowd. The population here was familiar with Kosmo from Keith’s earlier trip and Keith knew Kosmo wouldn’t be in danger. Keeping the wolf under control was more for the consideration of the expertly stacked carts whose vendors would not appreciate Kosmo’s eagerness to consume their wares. Throwing a smile over his shoulder, Keith nodded his head toward the village’s center and offered his hand for Shiro to hold.

Cradled in the crook of Shiro’s arm, Hikari had fallen into another peaceful nap. It had crossed Shiro’s mind that maybe the child was sleeping in order to recover from her exposure to the quintessence and he made a mental note to send an inquiry to Allura when they returned. In the meantime, Shiro had carefully tucked her blanket around her tiny body, clutching her close to keep curious eyes from paying too much attention to her precious face.

Accepting Keith’s hand, Shiro let himself be tugged wherever Keith was leading them. Around them the large aliens buzzed with excitement of their own lives, acknowledging their presence with respectful nods and slight waves of furry hands. Keith’s description of their teddy bear-like appearance was startlingly accurate and Shiro made himself resist the urge to reach out to touch the inviting fur of passing villagers. Not paying attention to where they were going, Shiro alternating between keeping his eyes trained on Hikari and surveying the village and its inhabitants.

“Ke-ath!” Striding down the road toward them, an alien far larger than the rest of the crowd approached them with what Shiro assumed was a smile. The teeth inside the fur covered mouth were flat and dull looking, but the creature’s eyes shown with a welcoming mirth. Mentally convincing himself to ease the tension in his shoulders, Shiro stood slightly behind Keith in anticipation of the greeting.

“Granesh!” Keith greeted, his arms opening and body tensing. Despite preparing himself for the exuberant hug, Keith still felt all the air wheeze from his lungs as he was crushed into Granesh’s four-armed embrace. His toes scraped the ground when Granesh swung him around and Keith managed to suppress his automatic desire to protest.

Once safely on the ground, Keith took a step back to wrap an arm around Shiro’s waist. “Granesh, this is my mate, Takashi Shirogane. Shiro, this is King Granesh.” Later, Keith would worry about explaining the extensively complicated hierarchical system of the planet’s population to Shiro, not wanting to risk the retelling of any of Granesh’s long-winded stories about how his kingship came to be.

Holding Hikari protectively against his chest, Shiro offered his hand in greeting. “Wonderful to meet you. Your planet is lovely.” Managing not to flinch when Granesh enveloped his hand with all four of his paws was Shiro’s greatest achievement of the day. The warm fur was oddly prickly and Shiro held in his instinct to flinch.

“Your mate is very handsome, Ke-ath.” Granesh raised Shiro’s hand to sniff at the back of Shiro’s knuckles. “Well-worn in battle and deeply loyal. An excellent… dare I say _perfect_ … match for one as devoted and skilled as you.” Shiro’s eyes flickered toward Keith noting the embarrassed blush on Keith’s cheeks as Granesh finally released his hand. “And is this… your little one?” Granesh leaned forward, hands tucked behind his back as he eyed the baby in Shiro’s arm. “No wonder you were so good with our littles. She is beautiful, Ke-ath.”

A trill of possessiveness rang up Shiro’s spine, making him instinctively curl Hikari deeper into his chest. Although Keith seemed unalarmed by Granesh’s interest, Shiro felt a flare of protectiveness burning through his chest. He opened his mouth to confirm that she was indeed theirs, but Keith beat him to the punch.

“This is Hikari.” Placing his hand on Hikari’s head, Keith met Granesh with steady eyes. “We hadn’t intended to bring her, but you know how these things go.” Pausing to let Granesh laugh and make a comment about parenting woes in any society, Keith gave a brief squeeze to Shiro’s hip. The uncertainty was radiating off of Shiro making Keith anxious to reassure his husband. “I was hoping that you would possibly have a baby bed that we could borrow for the cottage and some proper bottles. The spontaneity of Hikari’s inclusion has left us a little under-prepared.”

There was a moment when Keith saw the questions flash in Granesh’s eyes. From the moment Keith had first met Granesh, Keith had made it clear that he was prepared for any situation. It was that confidence that had assured the king when Keith promised to rescue his people, and had encouraged the king to believe in Keith’s plans to reinforce and reconstruct the underground tunnels. Doubt flickered over Granesh’s face as he visibly tried to reason away Keith’s lack of preparedness in traveling with his own child. Holding his breath, Keith stood steadily, never wavering from Granesh’s carefully assessing gaze.

Clapping his four hands together, Granesh snapped out of whatever thoughts he had fallen into, immediately waving for another bear-like creature to step forward. Shiro noted that this second figure wore a dark purple sash, whereas Granesh’s was ornate in a weaving of gold and forest green. Waiting, Shiro studied the whispered exchange between the two aliens, trying to catch as many words as possible in their hushed conversation.

Waving away his companion, Granesh once again turned his smile-like expression on Keith and Shiro. “Draneri will fetch you some supplies,” he stated, finally acknowledging Kosmo’s presence by offering the wolf a strip of meat. “Since you are here, would you like to join me for a meal? I can have it set up immediately if you would do me the honor.” Bouncing hopefully on his excessive amount of toes, Granesh gazed excitedly between Shiro and Keith.

“A meal would be wonderful,” Keith agreed, stepping around Shiro’s back to link their hands together. “Thank you for the offer, Granesh.” Lightly, Keith pulled Shiro forward to follow Granesh across the open center of the village.

“This will give me a chance to tell your mate all about your heroic acts, Ke-ath.” Not looking back, Granesh did not see the dread settle over Keith’s face. There was no way to stop Granesh once he started a story and Keith knew that once they returned to the cottage, he was going to have to deal with at least one intense lecture from Shiro about the stupidity of climbing into collapsing underground shafts.

Accepting his fate, Keith followed behind Granesh, refusing to meet Shiro’s eyes as Granesh enthusiastically dove into his story about Keith’s heroic introduction to his people.

A story that would last the entirety of their meal and leave Shiro with a sense of pride in his husband paired with the distinct urge to strangle Keith for his recklessness as soon as they were alone.

* * *

 

Staring down at the pile of gathered supplies, Shiro was resoundingly grateful that Kosmo was willing to help them transport everything back to their current residence. With several excited pops, Kosmo disappeared and reappeared, remarkably diminishing the stack every time. Shiro was impressed with his efficiency and only hoped that it didn’t mean that chaos would be waiting for them when they finally returned to the cottage.

Several feet to Shiro’s left, Keith was intently listening to Draneri, nodding along with every word she was saying. Hikari was finally settled into the security of Keith’s sling, her eyes fluttering shut again after an afternoon of being fed bits of sweet fruit and playing happily with the bizarre shaped rattles Draneri had gifted her. The sounds each rattle produced were unique and Hikari had giggled and flailed her arms in happy discover of each new tune.

A paw landed on Shiro’s forearm, making him stiffen briefly before relaxing under Granesh’s hold. His initial hesitation to trust the fluffy alien had diminished over their afternoon together and Shiro returned Granesh’s smile as he turned to face him. “Thank you for hosting us,” Shiro covered Granesh’s hand with his own, using his most diplomatic voice. Their interactions had not been remotely formal, but Shiro felt the need to show his respects to their host in the way Coran had trained him to do.

“My pleasure, Sh-arrow.” Granesh pulled his two right hands from behind his back to reveal a hardbound book. Holding it out, Granesh waited until Shiro’s hands were palm up before placing it into his possession with a reverent expression. “A gift. We have plenty of these tales to go around and I believe this tale will be beneficial to you… and Ke-ath. It is an honor to know you both.” With a small bow, Granesh released his grip on Shiro’s arm, turning his attention to Keith. “Ke-ath,” he called in his uniquely friendly accent, opening his arms and waving all four of his hands in Keith’s direction.

“Gentle,” Keith urged, rolling his eyes subtly in Shiro’s direction before accepting another hug from Granesh’s waiting arms. He kept an arm positioned underneath Hikari’s body and curled his shoulder toward Granesh’s chest to prevent Hikari from being crushed. He flushed into his hairline when Granesh patted him on the head and called him a good papa. “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, both now and for the cottage.”

“It is my hope that you will think of our home as your home. If it weren’t for you, most of my people would have been lost. We owe you happiness, Ke-ath.” Wrapping all four arms back around Keith, Granesh made a tearful sniff. “Please come say goodbye before you leave. We shall feast again and celebrate your future successes.” Pulling back, Granesh laid a paw on Keith’s cheek. “Be safe, Ke-ath.” With a final nod, Granesh held out his arm for Draneri to take and left them standing alone.

Peering at Shiro from underneath his hair, Keith winced when Shiro raised an eyebrow at him. There was no way Shiro was going to let him get away with not talking about the details of Granesh’s storytelling and Keith quickly began to draft excuses and diminishing statements in his mind. As a means to buy himself extra time, Keith whistled low and flinched his shoulder in Shiro’s direction when Kosmo appeared.

“Ke-ath,” Shiro said, imitating the way Granesh had pronounced his husband’s name. His suspensions about the level of danger Keith had put himself in appeared to be resoundingly accurate and he was prepared to have a proper discussion about it immediately. Unfortunately, Kosmo appeared to have other ideas.

In a dizzying flash, Shiro found himself standing in the middle of their cottage. The bed brought to them by Draneri was next to their own and Kosmo had deposited piles of fruit and bottles in the kitchen sink. Across the cushions of the couch Hikari’s new rattles laid in a perfect line. “While I appreciate your organization, I would appreciate more if you would-” A blinding blink of blue filled the cottage and Kosmo disappeared.

Knowing that Keith would not be teleporting back to the cottage with any urgency, Shiro set about cleaning the bottles and stowing away their collection of fruit. While he worked, he picked apart the story Granesh had told (at length) and carefully developed his path of discussion for whenever Keith decided to show up. If they were going to be raising a child, Keith needed to understand that his level of risk-taking needed to be cut back.

The bottle in Shiro’s hand clattered onto the countertop as he replayed his last thought. They were still young and their marriage was still in its infancy, yet Shiro hadn’t hesitated to unconsciously assume that they would be keeping Hikari as their own. He couldn’t say when the thought had become rooted so deeply in his heart, but the image of Keith asleep with Hikari and Keith laughing while she stole bites of fruit from his fingertips made his heart squeeze tightly in his chest.

Shiro _wanted_ to raise Hikari with Keith. He wanted them to have a child together, maybe more than one child, and the realization hit him hard enough to knock all of his other thoughts out of his head. Sinking onto the ground, Shiro dropped his head onto his bent knees, his mind growing louder with all the implications of his swelling hope.

Walking through the front door, Keith spotted Shiro sitting in a ball on the floor. “Shiro?” Keith dropped to his knees beside his husband, concern creasing his face as he ran a hand over the back of Shiro’s head. “Hey, I’m sorry, don’t be upset. We can talk about it. I promise, I will tell you everything. I didn’t mean to scare you or…” His words trailed off when Shiro lifted his head to reveal a manic looking smile. “Ummm… you didn’t… get into any of the drink Granesh tried to send with us, did you?” Panicking slightly, Keith shifted to sit cross-legged on the floor. Shiro’s shining eyes made his heart cripple in adoration and worry.

“Good papa,” Shiro smiled. Scooting himself around, he bracketed Keith’s body with his legs. From inside her sling, Hikari waved at Shiro, grabbing at his hand when he waved back at her. Promptly yanking his finger close to her mouth, Hikari sucked on the end and dropped off to sleep. “Keith… I… uh…” Nervously, Shiro peeked at Keith’s face.

“I want to keep her,” Keith said, seeing the relief and happiness flood Shiro’s cheeks in a brilliant blush. “I hope that is what you were going to say, because I have been thinking about it all afternoon and Shiro, I can’t imagine her not being ours and seeing you hold her was the best thing ever and-” His fast-paced rambling was halted by Shiro’s kiss.

Easing away from Keith’s mouth, Shiro braced his hand at the back of Keith’s neck and rested their foreheads together. “That’s exactly what I was going to say. It won’t be easy… but…”

“It’ll be worth it.” Keith completed Shiro’s thought and smirked when Kosmo slumped over his back to include himself in their huddle. “Kosmo agrees. Although, truthfully, he has been pushing to keep her since they arrived.” He leaned his head to accept the nuzzling wolf snout in the crook of his neck.

“But if we are going to be dads… we need to not risk our lives without thinking about the potential consequences.” Hooking his thumb under Keith’s chin, Shiro tilted Keith’s face up. “I’m proud of you. And terrified at how little value you place on your own life. I need you. Kosmo needs you. Hikari needs you. Stop forgetting that, Ke-ath.” Snickering at the nickname Shiro planned to never let die, he ducked when Keith batted at his head.

“I promise to think more clearly in the future… if you promise to never call me that again.” Keith narrowed his eyes when Shiro pouted. A tiny sigh whispered from inside the sling, and Keith looked fondly down at Hikari who was clutching Shiro’s finger in her sleep. “She’s ours then?” he asked, trying not to sound as desperately hopeful as he felt.

“Yeah, she’s ours.” Shiro whispered, resting his head on Keith’s shoulder and watching their newest family member sleep.

Later they would look through the book that Granesh had gifted them and open every one of the PDFs their friends had forwarded. In the dimming light of the setting suns, they would discover that their lives were more fated for greatness than they had realized. By the time the world was cloaked in darkness, they had sworn to each other that they would protect Hikari with every ounce of love and power they possessed, no matter who came for her.

And if the stories were correct, there would be no shortage of enemies who would come for her, who would be drawn to the legend their little family fulfilled and who would try to rip them apart.

Curling around his family, Shiro held Keith close as Hikari laid between them, her bed forgotten and ignored. Kosmo laid his head on Shiro’s hip, his eyes drooping toward sleep. _My family_ , Shiro thought, his heart throbbing in his chest. They were his and they would be safe. With this final thought, Shiro let himself drift to sleep, the comforting feeling of their overcrowded bed settling around him like the warmest of blankets.


	6. How We Got Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dada, Papa, and Grandma

Standing on the thin porch at the front of the cottage, Keith smiled over the rim of his coffee cup. In the sand, Shiro sat with Hikari perched in his lap. Despite her miniscule size, her dexterity and coordination were surprisingly developed. She gripped handfuls of sand and poured them over Shiro’s leg making Shiro laugh as his calf slowly disappeared. Hikari flopped backwards with her own baby giggles, arching over Shiro’s thigh and reaching up to Shiro’s face. When he leaned down to let her kiss his nose, Keith felt his heart skip several beats.

This new stage of life should have been harder. Based on his childhood experience, parenting was not something that most people liked, which is why the home he had grown up in had filled every bed with unwanted kids. Watching Hikari and Shiro laughing through their game, Keith could feel the emotional anger rising inside of him. How anyone could give up or abandon a child was so far beyond anything he could understand. Hikari had been in their life for a little over twenty-four hours and Keith was already positive that he would both die and kill for her.

A whine at his shoulder broke through Keith’s brooding and he turned to give Kosmo a grateful pat. “Go play,” Keith encouraged, nudging Kosmo toward the sand. “Want to fetch a stick?” He laughed when the wolf instantly disappeared from his side and reappeared next to Shiro. “Guess that’s a no.” Placing his cup on the railing, Keith kicked his sandals off and jogged lightly down the ramp. Hikari caught his approach and happily squealed with both of her hands waving in the air.

“Da-da,” Shiro said, pointing at Keith. He loved the way Keith’s steps became clumsy when he realized what Shiro had said. “Well she has to call you something.” Holding an arm out, Shiro snagged Keith’s wrist and pulled him onto the sand.

“And what will you be?” Keith asked, his heart still unsteady at the sound of his new name. Accepting Hikari into a hug when she reached for him, Keith couldn’t resist planting kisses against her sandy cheek. “You need a bath.” He thumbed the sand from her face and snickered when she pouted. “You didn’t answer me.” Shifting his attention, Keith elbowed Shiro in the side.

Shrugging, Shiro rested his hand in the sand behind Keith’s back. “I was thinking. I guess… actually I don’t know.” Pulling his leg from its sand grave, Shiro brushed idly at his shin.

“How about Papa?” Swooping Hikari into the air, Keith smiled up at her as she squealed again. “Can you say Pa Pa, Hikari?” Holding her up above his head he wiggled her back and forth to hear her giggle again. It was quickly becoming Keith’s favorite sound.

“PAP!” Hikari squeaked, leaning her body toward Shiro and grabbing a fistful of hair. “PAP!” she exclaimed, using her hold on Shiro’s hair to climb from Keith’s arms into Shiro’s waiting ones. “Pap,” she said again, clapping both of her hands on Shiro’s cheeks and smushing them.

Smiling fondly at the little girl squishing his face, Shiro nodded his head. “Alright, Papa it is,” he agreed, laughing when Hikari squeezed his face harder. Crossing his eyes, Shiro made her giggle again, wiggling his face free of his grasp so he could blow raspberries on her stomach.

_This is the happiest I have ever been_ , Keith thought, watching Hikari squirm under Shiro’s tickles before settling back into his lap with her head pillowed on Shiro’s thigh. He snorted when Hikari’s eyes fluttered shut, astonished at the way she fell asleep so easily when tuckered out. Reaching out, he gently ran his fingers through her curls, combing the sand from the curly strands.

“I love you,” Shiro said, tilting his head to kiss Keith’s cheek. Maybe in his wildest dreams he had thought about a day when he would have a family with children and a dog. The thought that it would be a family comprised of a half-alien husband, a full alien child, and a space wolf hadn’t crossed his mind, yet, he found the situation nothing short of perfect.

Nuzzling his head onto Shiro’s shoulder, Keith closed his eyes. “And I love you.” The words were never meaningless between them, carrying the weight of years of sacrifice and devotion. With the acceptance of Hikari into their family, their vows to honor and protect shifted to now include their tiniest member. Others may have found their chosen future to be daunting or overwhelming, but instead Keith felt a sense of peace. His heart felt full in a way he never imagined it could be and he was ready to face every obstacle that came with their decision.

They settled into comfortable quiet, the suns’ rays warming the air around them and the trees above them protecting them from direct exposure. The breeze coming from over the waves tickled their skin and fluttered the fur of the sleeping wolf who was tucked into Keith’s side. For a moment, they had a taste of paradise, the rest of the world vanishing from their conscious thoughts as their focused narrowed to only their family.

Lifting his head to look at Shiro, Keith noted the scowl on his husband’s face. “What?” he asked, raising his hand to stroke a thumb over Shiro’s worry lines. A nod toward the horizon had Keith stiffening and he hesitantly followed Shiro’s gaze in the direction of the sky.

Another ship was approaching the beach. This time it was recognizable before they heard its approaching rumble and Keith felt a trickle of relief chase the drops of sweat down his spine. Kolivan’s visit had been unexpected, but watching his mother’s ship approach, Keith could only feel another spark of happiness. Glancing back at Shiro, Keith saw the change in his expression when Krolia’s ship came into full view. “Stay here and let her sleep.” Bending forward Keith placed a soft kiss on Hikari’s forehead. “I should talk to Mom.” He smiled when Shiro puckered his lips in a request for a kiss of his own.

“Good luck, sweetheart.” Readjusting to let Kosmo scoot closer to him, Shiro winked at Keith. “Ask Krolia if she wants to be called Grandma.” He laughed when Keith tripped over his own feet again, blowing a kiss when Keith tossed him a playful glare.

Knocking the sand off his shorts, Keith made his way over the sand, standing clear until his mother’s ship had landed in the shade of Black’s intimidating form. Opening his arms to accept her greeting hug, Keith heard her chuckle in his ear.

“Looks like I made the right choice sending the baby here.” Hands resting on Keith’s upper arms, Krolia pulled back to smile at him. “She looks very comfortable with Shiro.”

“We want to keep her,” Keith blurted, shocking himself with the admission more than he seemed to have shocked his mother. He had meant to have a proper conversation with her about the stories they had read and all the information their friends had bombarded them with. Instead, he made his declaration without explanation, anxiously waiting for his mother’s response as he fiddled with his own fingers.

Squeezing Keith’s biceps, Krolia only smiled. “I thought that would be your decision. We should talk.” Nodding toward the shoreline, Krolia turned to lead the way to the rocks which jutted out into the waves.

Together they moved over the rock formation, heading for a familiar spot at the very end. It had been here that Krolia had found Keith following their rescue of Granesh’s miners and where he had told her that he intended to stay until they could guarantee that the miners would be safe in the future. They had brainstormed and strategized, data pads exchanging hands as they added notes and corrections to each other’s plans. It had taken until the suns had crept to sleep, but they had devised a plan which would change the lives of the planet’s population forever.

Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with his mother now, Keith smiled thinking about what an incredible team they had become. After his dad had passed away, Keith had lived in limbo, never having any idea where to even begin his search for the woman who was so solid and present next to him. His anger had caused him to fail out of the foster care system, finally landing him in the Home where all the children with behavioral issues ended up. He was one of the many unwanted and his heart ached with the memories of those feelings.

An arm wound around Keith’s shoulders and he let himself lean into his mom’s embrace. She never pushed him to talk which often gave Keith the freedom to do so. Relaxing his shoulders, Keith plucked at a thread on his shorts. “Mom, Shiro and I… we read some stories.” He felt the twitch of Krolia’s arm and peeked curiously at her from the corner of his eyes.

“I anticipated that once you met the child that your connections would prompt questions. Did you consult Allura over this?” Krolia was calm, none of her words were accusatory or even emotional. Still, the way she wouldn’t meet Keith’s eyes made him feel nervous.

“Shiro did.” Chewing on his bottom lip, Keith tried to decide what to say next. “It’s weird… I never considered my own connection to anything… especially not quintessence, but then Kosmo showed me what he had seen in that lab. There were pictures of me and of Shiro, although Kosmo didn’t seem to know why. Then Granesh gave us this storybook, but… how can a children’s fairy tale be real?”

Scrunching his nose, Keith flipped through the details of the story while Krolia remained quiet. A Halfling prince with magic in his blood falling in love with a champion fighter, creating the most powerful couple the universe had ever known. Unfortunately, the rulers couldn’t produce an heir, and therefore they ventured through the cosmos to find a child who would be suitable to take their place when the time came. Village after village presented their children, but none were accepted by the couple. Finally, in the heart of a tiny planet, they discovered a child whose life force was guarded by quintessence. Together, they pulled the child from its magical womb and raised it as their own.

Flopping his hands onto his lap after finishing his summary, Keith folded one leg underneath his other and turned to face his mom. “That’s about it, right? So those people… they put Hikari in the quintessence on purpose?” The bitterness leaked into his question. “To what? Present her to me and Shiro? We aren’t the rulers of anything.” Throwing one hand in the air, Keith stared desperately at his mother for answers. They had read all of the documents that Coran and Allura had sent them about theories of Keith’s and Shiro’s legendary statuses and their supposed “soul bond,” including the rumors of planet’s readying their children for offering. Every detail had made Keith feel ill and eventually, he was going to find a way to communicate to the entire universe that this was unacceptable.

Folding her hands in her lap, Krolia angled her head to take in the exasperated look on Keith’s face. “It is widely believed, at least by those who know of Haggar’s experiments, that she was attempting to produce a champion who would eventually wed her son.” Her eyebrows shot into her hairline when Keith flailed.

“Lotor?? That witch wanted to marry Shiro off to Lotor?!” Realizing that he was shouting, Keith stamped down his indignation. “That makes the production of all those clones even weirder.” He made the comment under his breath causing Krolia to chuckle.

“We aren’t sure of the reasons for that, although I truly hope they were not what you are implying.” She chuckled again when Keith’s cheeks turned red. “The stories you read are ancient and _mostly_ thought of as children’s tales, like you said. Unfortunately, at least in Hikari’s case, her people did not use logic. They thought they could artificially produce an heir and present her as a gift to you and to Shiro. Hikari wasn’t the first child they tried to expose, but she is the only one who survived.”

Sickness flooded Keith’s stomach as he took in his mother’s words. Tears sprung to his eyes as he refused to ask how many innocent lives were lost. Instead, he curled his fingers into tight fists. “Please tell me that you have taken care of anyone who supported this idea.” Although he didn’t say it, his intention to do so himself was clear.

Taking Keith’s fist between her hands, Krolia waited until he made eye contact. “We have dealt with those who were under the influence of corrupted power. Hikari’s father was one of them and therefore, she does not have family and is lucky to have you.” Running a thumb over Keith’s knuckles, Krolia sighed. “There will still be those who are naïve enough to fall for a fairy tale. You are half of me and half of your father, and your connection to the quintessence, although still somewhat of a mystery, is not a secret. Shiro’s own strength and connection, even without the Altean crystal arm and the Atlas, are no secret either. We believe we have contained the story of Hikari’s origins, but there is no telling how she will develop. You have to be ready for her and for whoever comes for you all.” Concern furrowed Krolia’s brows as she studied Keith’s face.

In the storybooks, throngs of warriors had attacked the family, but all of them were defeated. Why anyone would come for them when the legend dictated that they were fated to lose was beyond Keith’s understanding. They had discussed it though, and although the chances were undetermined they were willing to take the risk. Through a tense jaw, Keith informed his mom of all of this, feeling the apprehension melting from his mind when she squeezed his hands.

“You were always strong, Keith.” Lifting his hands, Krolia kissed his knuckles. “Even as a baby, you were determined to learn, always happy and desiring to explore. You were never scared and always full of laughter. If you stay exactly as you are, Hikari couldn’t ask for a better father to grow up with.” Tugging Keith forward, Krolia wrapped him into a tight hug.

“Thanks, Mom,” Keith whispered against her shoulder, letting himself be held. He had felt confident in their decision to keep Hikari as their own, but hearing his mother speak her words of approval made him feel even stronger.

Unlacing himself from the hug, Keith stood and offered his mom a hand. Helping her to her feet, Keith looked back over the sand to see Shiro and Hikari now napping together on an outspread blanket. “Come on, Grandma, time to get to know your granddaughter.” He began to run over the rocks, laughing at Krolia’s surprised exclamation and feeling his heart soar with every step he made toward his family.


	7. One Year Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flash forward look at a year into parenthood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed this story, please take a chance on my other works!! 
> 
> This was a fun event to take part in even if I was super slow and didn't finish within a week, but I am still glad that I took a chance on being a part of it. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read and supported this story!

Standing in the bedroom in front of the closet mirror, Shiro smiled as he looped the tie around his neck. His reflection looked a little older, a little more wrinkled, but the lines were a sign of his constant laughter over the last year instead of evidence of unhappiness. Sure, he looked a little more tired, but it was the well-earned tired of a parent and Shiro found that he liked the face staring back at him.

Six years ago, on this very night, Shiro remembered dressing in his quarters in the Atlas, listening to Keith bang around in the bathroom while cursing about having to wear his own formal suit. A tiny velvet box had weighed heavy in Shiro’s pocket that night, a constant physical reminder of the chance he was going to take.

That party had passed at a tortuously slow pace, the hours creeping towards midnight as if they were taunting Shiro’s nerves. Anxiously, he had slipped his hand around the box in his pocket, only stopping when Keith had begun to shoot him weird looks. Not desiring to give anything away, Shiro had controlled the urge to verify the ring’s existence for the last hour of the night.

Then at midnight with the fireworks lighting up the night sky, Shiro had dropped to one knee ready to recite all of the carefully crafted words he had memorized. None of that had happened though, as the sight of Keith leaning on his own bent knee sent Shiro into a blissful spiral of happiness.

It would become a story that everyone would retell. The first time anyone had seen the Admiral of the Atlas and the Leader of Voltron shed tears and the most romantic moment to occur on Garrison grounds. Eventually Lance would try to one up them with his own proposal to Allura, but the story of Shiro and Keith’s engagement would continue to reign supreme for years to come.

Smiling wider at the memory, Shiro let his mind travel through all of their years following that moment. Their simple wedding surrounded by friends and family, their honeymoon cut short by intergalactic obligations, and a lifetime of trust through every obstacle thrown in their way.

And there certainly hadn’t been any shortage in the amount of obstacles they had faced.

Yet, the universe had a way of rewarding those who suffered to protect it and Shiro found that all of his rewards had been worth the struggles he had faced to find them.

From behind him a high-pitched squeal rang through the hallway, followed by the sound of tiny running feet. A blur of purple flew into his room and into his arms as he laughing caught the child screaming “PAPA!”

Bouncing his daughter, Shiro laughed at her slightly disheveled state of dress.  The bow to her purple dress was untied and her stockings hung off one leg. Her unruly curls hung in her face, only partially hiding her smug smile as she buried herself into the safety of his arms.

Appearing in the doorway, Keith held a hair brush and a pair of shoes, stopping short in his attempts to scold Hikari when he spied Shiro slowly rocking her in his arms. It was a familiar dance, one Keith had seen Shiro do to calm Hikari through sickness and nightmares, and his love for his family broke through his building frustration. Leaning on the doorframe, Keith sighed, giving in to the smile that wanted to take over his frown.

A year had passed since Kolivan had dropped Hikari in their lives. In that year, Keith had redefined his meaning of family for what seemed like the hundredth time in his life. Falling in love with Hikari (and with Shiro again as her father) had been the easy part. The countless bouts of unexplainable illness and keeping each other sane as their magical toddler discovered all of her abilities had been their toughest challenges, while learning how to navigate the inseparable (and conspiratorial) relationship between a toddler and a space wolf had been their most entertaining. Life had been a whirlwind and Keith was still happy to be swept away.

Catching Shiro’s eye, Keith raised an eyebrow at him. “You spoil her,” he reprimanded, the smile tugging at his lips a dead giveaway about his lack of accusation. The argument was old as it was fond and Keith didn’t have to wait long for Shiro’s expected question.

“Do I spoil you, Hikari?” Shiro asked, pulling his head back to look down at his daughter. When she grinned back at him with an excited nod, Shiro couldn’t help the laughter that rumbled out of his chest. “What did Dada do to you anyway?” He winked at Keith and chuckled when Keith scoffed at him.

“These are yucky,” Hikari spoke with a level of defiance that was so purely Keith that Shiro snorted. He looked down where she was waving her foot still trapped in the stocking. “Wanna red ones, Dada says NO.” She used the voice she often used to imitate Keith and made Shiro snort again.

“Helpful,” Keith commented, sitting on the edge of their bed. Shiro looked so handsome in his suit with the playful smile Keith loved so much that it was nearly impossible to remain frustrated. Nearly.

Pulling the stocking off of Hikari’s foot, Shiro tossed them at Keith’s head. “I think red will look just fine,” He stuck his tongue out at Keith when he made a noise of protest. “You know, once upon a time, your Dada wore this red leather jacket…” Carrying Hikari out of the room, Shiro rolled his eyes with a grin when he heard Keith groan.

* * *

 

Above them the fireworks thudded in heart pounding explosions filling the sky with a rainbow of brightness. On his shoulder, Hikari laid with her ear tucked tightly against his jacket while Shiro protectively cupped her other ear with his hand. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she watched the display and her tiny fingers squeezing Keith’s hand every time she was startled by the noise.

Keith’s presence was warm and solid at Shiro’s side, the way it had always been. It felt different now, with Hikari being supported by both of them, but it was still Shiro’s safest place.

A year ago, Shiro had stood on this very balcony saddened by the lack of Keith. He had moped his way through the party, interacting when spoken to, but constantly looking toward the door in hopes of spying his husband. Keith’s appearance at midnight had been the stuff of a cheesy rom-com as had the secret vacation Keith had whisked him away on.

Then Kolivan had arrived, carrying a glowing baby in a tattered blanket and changed their lives forever.

Watching the end of the fireworks display, Shiro caught Keith’s eye and nodded toward Hikari to silently ask if she had fallen asleep. Keith’s amused nod made Shiro chuckle. It was a blessing to have a child who slept so easily when tired, even on the days when it was a challenge to wear her out.

With his index finger still held in his daughter’s tiny grasp, Keith shifted to stand in front of Shiro. Lifting a hand to brush the hair off of Shiro’s forehead, Keith leaned in to steal a kiss. “Ready for another trip around the sun?” Keith asked, keeping himself close by resting their foreheads together.

“With you?” Raising Hikari more securely on his shoulder, Shiro wrapped his free arm around Keith’s waist. “Always.” Smiling, Shiro tipped his head to kiss Keith again, feeling the happiness spark between them.

A year hadn’t brought them all the answers they needed, mysteries remained unsolved and their future was still full of unanswered questions. It didn’t matter though. Shiro knew that no matter what life threw at them, they were prepared to tackle it.

Letting himself relax into the feeling of his daughter on his shoulder and his husband in his arms, Shiro smiled at the stars and thanked his lucky ones for all the moments that had led him right where he was meant to be.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like this story, please consider checking out my other Sheith stories!  
> [A Wild Bearded Shiro Appears](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17054420) \- Shiro participates in No Shave November. RIP Keith (college roommates AU)  
> [Unwritten](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15583593/chapters/36179688) a Sheith fic about Author Keith and Fanboy Shiro, filled with mutual pining and reuniting of childhood friends :) - complete  
> [Mine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16302947) \- a one-shot of married Sheith getting jealous at a party and solving it with sexy times  
> [Where We Belong](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15730515) \- fluffy post Season 7 Domestic Sheith escaping for a weekend away to Keith's old shack  
> [Our Space](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16574111) \- Domestic Sheith one-shot in which Shiro decorates their room  
> [It Only Took a Hurricane](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17227133) \- a completed Lifeguard AU (best friends to lovers)  
> [Disaster You, Disaster Me, Disaster We](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16513202/chapters/38678120) \- a Sheith blind date AU with a twist  
> [Come on Baby, Frost My Cake](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16829314) \- a Sheith set up fic at Hunk's Singles Cake Decorating class (shenanigans ensure)  
> [No Secrets Between Us](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13860900) \- silly crack fic about the team finding out that Sheith are dating


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